Imagine a world where the very institution tasked with protecting public health is gutted from the inside out. That’s the stark reality facing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where a staggering quarter of its workforce—approximately 3,000 employees—has vanished this year alone. But here’s where it gets controversial: these departures aren’t just about budget cuts or restructuring. They’re part of a broader, deeply polarizing strategy that’s left experts and the public alike questioning the future of America’s health security.
The exodus includes not only those laid off earlier this year but also employees who accepted the Trump administration’s “Fork in the Road” buyout program. And this is the part most people miss: the latest wave of terminations came during the government shutdown, adding chaos to an already tumultuous situation. On October 10, over 1,300 CDC employees received termination notices. In a bizarre twist, about 700 of them were later informed via email that their terminations were a mistake. Still, an estimated 600 remain jobless. Meanwhile, another 1,300 employees are on paid administrative leave, effectively sidelined from their duties.
The Trump administration has remained tight-lipped about the official numbers, leaving the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2883—the union representing CDC workers—to piece together the grim tally. The cuts have slashed through critical divisions, including the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the CDC library, and even the agency’s liaison office in Washington, D.C., which bridges the gap between public health and policymakers. Andrew Nixon, communications director at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), defended the moves, stating that all affected employees were deemed nonessential by their divisions. But is that truly the case?
Among those initially terminated but later reinstated were staff responsible for the CDC’s flagship publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, as well as key leaders in immunization and emerging diseases. Even the CDC’s “disease detectives”—the Epidemic Intelligence Service—were briefly caught in the crossfire. Yet, the reinstatements do little to mask the broader upheaval.
The CDC’s turmoil began in February when HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took office. Beyond mass layoffs, Kennedy has sought to overhaul vaccine policies, replacing all 17 members of a federal vaccine advisory committee with appointees of his choosing—several of whom are vocal vaccine skeptics. This move has sparked fierce debate: Is this a necessary shake-up, or a dangerous politicization of public health? What do you think?
The controversy deepened in August when Kennedy fired CDC Director Susan Monarez after just one month on the job. Monarez later testified before a Senate committee that Kennedy pressured her to approve vaccine recommendations “regardless of the scientific evidence” and to dismiss career officials without cause. Her tenure was also marked by tragedy: a gunman opened fire on the CDC’s Atlanta campus, killing a responding police officer. The shooter allegedly blamed the Covid-19 vaccine for his health issues, a chilling reminder of the real-world consequences of vaccine misinformation.
In the wake of Monarez’s departure, several senior officials resigned, including Demetre Daskalakis, Debra Houry, and Daniel Jernigan. “There are very few people left in leadership at the agency,” warns Abby Tighe, executive director of the National Public Health Coalition. “At the highest levels, there are no public health or medical professionals left to guide CDC recommendations.” This vacuum raises a critical question: Who will steer the nation through the next health crisis?
The AFGE has labeled the firings “illegal” and “callous,” demanding the immediate rescinding of all termination notices. Yolanda Jacobs, president of AFGE Local 2883, emphasizes the lack of transparency, noting that many cuts were made without clear justification. John Brooks, former chief medical officer of the CDC’s HIV/AIDS division, echoes this concern, calling the process deeply flawed.
As the CDC’s workforce dwindles, so does its capacity to protect public health. But this isn’t just a bureaucratic issue—it’s a matter of life and death. Is this the price we’re willing to pay for political agendas? Share your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation we can’t afford to ignore.
